In her Crib Sheet, CNN's Candy Crowley wraps the news from Sunday's political talk shows.

Dancing on the head of a pin, two of the president’s top advisers were out Sunday touting March job gains as signs the president’s economic policy is working , while paying due diligence to a brutal 9.7 percent unemployment rate. “We’ve got a long way to go,” according to Larry Summers, Director of the National Economic Council. Christina Romer, Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers added, “We still face a lot of headwinds…”

Both were primed with talking points, including a slam on Republicans for refusing to extend unemployment benefits until Congress found some way to pay for it: “…that’s not how government should be working,” Summers scolded. “Absolutely has to get done,“ Romer insisted.

Is the opposite of talking points non-talking points? If so, China’s manipulation of its currency is the latter. The administration decision to delay its “world currencies” report (due mid-April) until after a series of meetings with the Chinese was quite the touchy issue this Sunday.

China’s undervalued currency adds to the U.S. jobs problem, (it makes U.S. goods more expensive and Chinese exports cheaper). A bipartisan move in Congress would label China a “currency manipulator.” Pressed repeatedly on whether they agree, neither Romer nor Summers would play. The default position was basically, we’re looking at it. "This is absolutely going to be an issue that is high on the agenda,” said Romer. Summers promised the U.S. would pursue the issue with “a great deal of vigor.” He denied on ABC that the delay was tied to the U.S. hope that China will go along with sanctions against Iran. Wonder if all that U.S. debt China is holding has anything to do with the delicate approach?

Case closed for Israel under intense U.S. pressure to quit building in East Jerusalem. “The policy is not going to change,” said Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S., Michael Oren. “Our policy is that every Arab, every Jew has a right to build anywhere in the city legally as they, an Arab and Jew, would have a right to build legally anywhere in a city in the United States, including in this city, in Washington, D.C.” How are U.S.-Israeli relations? “Great”. Privately, U.S. officials have a different description.‬‪
Other political fibrillations. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens’ declaration that he will leave the high court before the president’s term is up, sent senators who would confirm his replacement out of the starting gate.

Former Republican, now Democratic Senator Arlen Specter (Pa.) told FOX he hopes the justice (on the verge of his 90th birthday) will not retire this year (an election year) because he worries about a filibuster tying up the Senate. On the same show, Senator John Kyl (R-AZ) promised if the president sends up the right nominee, defined by Kyl as not “overly ideological” then he does not believe Republicans will filibuster.

Georgetown University men’s basketball coach John Thompson III is watching the Final Four tournament from Indianapolis. He picks Duke to win the championship tomorrow night. Meanwhile, the Washington Nationals have their season opener tomorrow afternoon and President Obama is throwing the first pitch.

Play ball.

UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITSChair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, Christina Romer, on NBC’s “Meet the Press”“Before congress left, they failed to extend the unemployment insurance provisions of the recovery act. That absolutely has to get done. The numbers we see, the 9.7% unemployment, we've got to be supporting those workers.”

Director, National Economic Council, Lawrence Summers, on CNN’s “State of the Union” “Unemployment insurance, a basic protection for people who have been laid off through no fault of their own, cut off because our politicians are not able to agree on a formula for extending it? That's not how our government should be working.”

CHINA’S CURRENCYChair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, Christina Romer, on NBC’s “Meet the Press”David Gregory: “Is China manipulating its currency?”
Christina Romer: “ I think that's going to be something that the Secretary of Treasury would speak on. Gregory: But as a matter of substance, why can't you say whether - it either is or it's not? Romer: We think it needs to be more influenced by market forces.”

Director, National Economic Council, Lawrence Summers, on CNN’s “State of the Union”“No one can be satisfied with where we are and this is going to be a continued focus for us going forward.” Crowley: “It's not a good thing to say it out loud, I take it?” Summers: “We're focusing on increasing our exports.”

CHANGES ON THE HIGH COURTSen. Arlen Specter (D-PA), on “Fox News Sunday”Chris Wallace: “Do you have some thoughts about the specific person he should nominate?”
Sen. Specter: “I hope to begin a little earlier, that Justice Stevens does not retire this year. I think the gridlock in the Senate might well produce a filibuster which would tie up the Senate about a Supreme Court nominee. I think if a year passes, there's a much better chance we could come to a consensus.”

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), on “Fox News Sunday”“I think the president will nominate a qualified person. I hope, however, he does not nominate an overly ideological person. That will be the test. And if he doesn't nominate someone who is overly ideological, I don't think - you may see Republicans voting against the nominee, but I don't think you'll see them engage in a filibuster.”

STATE OF THE U.S.-ISRAELI RELATIONSHIPIsraeli Ambassador to the U.S., Michael Oren, on CNN’s “State of the Union”“Israel has a policy that goes back to 1967. …and our policy is that every Arab, every Jew has a right to build anywhere in the city legally as they - an Arab and Jew would have a right to build legally anywhere in a city in the United States, including in this city, in Washington, D.C. That's our policy. The policy is not going to change.
Crowley: “So it’s not going to change?”
Oren: “Not going to change, but we understand. We understand that Jerusalem is sensitive.”

MARCH MADNESSGeorgetown Men’s Basketball Coach John Thompson III, on CNN’s “State of the Union”Crowley: “Coach, I need a one-word answer, Duke or Butler?”
Thompson: “I'm going to go with Duke.”

soundoff(8 Responses)

Doris V

Since when does the Israeli government allow Arabs to build anywhere in Israel? This Oren person must think all Americans are stupid. The Israeli government has forced Arabs out of their homes since Israel was created in 1947 or 1948. US citizens have died at the hands of the Israeli army when they were on peace missions to help Palestinans. Look up Rachael Corrie. She was run over by an Israeli army bulldozer trying to protect the home of a Palestinian family she was living with. She was a college student from either Washington or Oregon I was very pro Israel in the past but through reading and research I have changed my feelings.

April 4, 2010 05:12 pm at 5:12 pm |

Jim

Palestinians aren't considered citizens in Israel and they don't get permits to build even in the areas that they are the majority. Michael Orin is being disingenuous.

April 4, 2010 05:32 pm at 5:32 pm |

Deborah Alfano

The unemployment is far worse than the reports coming from the President and his staff. Many thousands of people lost their jobs over a year ago and still remain unemployed and not longer able to receive unemployment checks....they no longer show up in the reports. Many of these people lost their homes and what savings they had in the bank. Many were highly paid professionals who remain out of work. The President should be very careful when he speaks of improved conditions for I fear it is in reality a worse situation than a year ago. The President continues to tout his programs and the more he speaks the less we respect his message. Why is it that US citizens understand the depths of the problems and what the problems really are even more than our President and his staff? I am disappointed in the lack of reality and the lack of leadership this Administration has provided.

April 4, 2010 06:27 pm at 6:27 pm |

dan smith

Any economist not on Obama's payroll can tell you that at the current deficit spending by this President the interest payment on the debt is going to jump form 180 billion now to almost 800 billion in ten years, look for 40% plus tax increases by then. Obama's fuzzy math is unsustainable. Don't believe me? Go to the library and read any book on economics, learn instead of blindly following some fool just because he's promising to give you everything for free.

April 4, 2010 06:48 pm at 6:48 pm |

Charlie in Maine

I can see why the GOP was so dead set against the healthcare over-haul. It has only been a week and they are coming un-raveled already. Can't say I'm not enjoying it a little. They have set themselves up now that all they can hope for is an economic collapse- unless they get smart and work with the President on something so they can bask in the relflected glory. Or they can continue to be the party of no: No hope, No compassion, No ideas, and (oh please God please.... No majority in either House of Congress.

Lucky to be an American
Proud to be a Democrat,
Happy Easter.

April 4, 2010 07:01 pm at 7:01 pm |

dan smith

I live in a state that Obama scr^^ed over-Missouri. Our last Governor,Blunt, left the state a surplus before he left office. After Nixon was voted in he took Obama's supposed stimulus money. The State had to spend the money on Obama's programs and after we did the stimulus money never came. Now Missouri is 500 billion in debt. To make up the short fall we have had to drastically cut spending on education,medicaid, road constructions and many other programs. The State of Missouri IS AN Obama Victim.

April 4, 2010 07:17 pm at 7:17 pm |

Willy Brown

Does anybody really watch this ?

April 4, 2010 07:25 pm at 7:25 pm |

Hammerer

The Obama regime has pumped 2 trillion dollars into the banks, Wall Street, auto companies and stimulus schemes all the while screaming the economy is turning around and the jobs problem is turning around. Now that the Obamacare has passed they are saying that they overstated the effects of all of their plans and that the taxpayer should not expect any real results for a long time. That is unless the money runs out them the US will be bankrupt, but that will be Bushes fault.